Bloodstock 2018: The Saturday

  Saturday at Bloodstock was going to be an open day for me pretty much as the only band on my 'must see' list was the evening's headliners, Gojira. While I was finishing my early morning tasks at a leisurely pace, a gentleman passed by and suggested that I check out Power Trip. His sales pitch was that if I liked Suicidal Tendencies, I would love this band. That was enough to sell me so I headed over to the arena.

Listening to American thrash/punk crossover band Power Trip, I could see what the gentleman meant by the comparison to Suicidal Tendencies. They even dedicated a song to Cannibal Corpse and even though they said some might thought it too early in the morning, orchestrated a wall of death. While I have to say they're not quite like the band they have been compared to, Power Trip were a good band to have a great mosh to and quite an appropriate way to start the Saturday.

[caption id="attachment_4769" align="aligncenter" width="263"] Power Trip- a great start to any day.[/caption]

At this point of the weekend, I had seen several bands whom I had never heard of who had impressed the hell out of me and I was in the mind to award several bands the honour of "Band Whom I'd Never Heard of Who Impressed Me the Most." That all went out the window when the next band after Power Trip ascended the Dio Stage. That band was German prog-metallers Orden Ogan. If you like Hammerfall, then you should like this band. They really impressed me a lot. One thing I noticed when they were on stage was the absence of a bass player. Lead singer Sebastian Levermann explained this was because he had broken his thumb and was unable to play guitar. Thus normal bassist Neils Loffler took up the rhythm guitar. Saying that, he did play a couple of solos along with lead guitarist Tobias Kersting who could really jam. Left to just sing, Levermann was good at engaging the crowd and at one point when he would sing, "All we are," the audience would yell back, "Cold, fucking dead!" When they left, Orden Ogan were secure in the title of band who I'd never heard of who impressed me the most.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPm46Qgyn24

[caption id="attachment_4770" align="aligncenter" width="268"] Orden Ogan come on stage. Too bad those horns got in my way.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4771" align="aligncenter" width="274"] Levermann and Kersting leading from the front.[/caption]

Being wowed by Orden Ogan made me hungry so I headed back to the tent for some lunch. Returning afterwards, I happened to catch the last five minutes of Vola on the Sophie Lancaster Stage. They were a four piece band which included a keyboard. The best way to describe them is to say they're industrial metal but they sounded all right to me and I might listen to them more.

[caption id="attachment_4772" align="aligncenter" width="243"] Vola on the Sophie Stage[/caption]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJSt7ISU1-w
Heading back to the Ronnie James Dio Stage, I had no idea what to expect from the next band to take the stage, Combichrist. What I heard and saw took me completely by surprise. I thought that with a name like Combichrist, they would be a thrash or death metal band, especially with all the band's faces painted white. Instead, their brand of industrial metal would be something that metalheads to dance to at parties. The audience jumped up and down in time with many of the songs, though I had to take it a bit easy with my weak knee. Still, the antics of the band were very entertaining. At one point, lead singer Andy LaPlegua had the audience say "Fuck off!" to each member of the band, which was followed by a song called "Fuck That Shit." After a few more songs and "Fucks" from LePlegua, the band ended on a great high by bringing out three young ladies twirling flaming batons to the song, "I Don't Give a Fuck About You." Great way to end the show and I was very impressed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMg-HuAjJuo

[caption id="attachment_4773" align="aligncenter" width="290"] Combichrist with no bass and two drummers[/caption][caption id="attachment_4774" align="aligncenter" width="296"] A good shot of them[/caption][caption id="attachment_4775" align="aligncenter" width="289"] In this shot, the drummer was bouncing his sticks off his drum.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4776" align="aligncenter" width="290"] The baton twirlers come out.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4777" align="aligncenter" width="280"] The band plays "Fuck That Shit."[/caption][caption id="attachment_4778" align="aligncenter" width="280"] The twirlers in their full glory[/caption]

After being totally amused by Combichrist, I headed over to the New Blood Stage where I caught the last few minutes of a band called Aeonia. The featured two female lead singers who both possessed operatic style voices. I was sorry I couldn't have seen more of them.

[caption id="attachment_4779" align="aligncenter" width="255"] Aeonia on the New Blood Stage.[/caption]

Heading back to the Dio Stage, I was in for another surprise. On the recommendation of Teal, I decided to check out Alestorm. I had a feeling that this was going to be different when I saw the huge rubber duck at the back of the stage. This would be my first introduction to the genre known as pirate metal. The songs all sounded like heavy metal sea ditties and I liked it. I found the songs, "Drink," "Captain Morgan's Revenge" and "Shipwrecked" among others all to be very amusing. Instead of a mosh pit, lead singer, Christopher Bowes organized a rowing pit where everyone sat on the ground rowing in unison to the song, great fun. Bowes also stated that instead of a wall of death, everyone meet in the middle, take off their clothes and have a big orgy. We all saw the humour in that. Alestorm's set ended with him leading the crowd in singing:

Fuck you, you're a fucking wanker

We're gonna punch you right in the balls.

Fuck you with a fucking anchor

You're all cunts so fuck you all." 

A great time was had by all during the forty-five minutes Alestorm was on stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th4Czv1j3F8

[caption id="attachment_4781" align="aligncenter" width="255"] The big rubber duck awaits Alestorm[/caption][caption id="attachment_4782" align="aligncenter" width="255"] Alestorm on stage with a lot of flying inflatable objects.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4784" align="aligncenter" width="261"] An even bigger rowing pit[/caption][caption id="attachment_4785" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Alestorm leave with an explosion of confetti[/caption]

With nearly two hours to go before Gojira, we decided to head back to the tent. The heavens had opened up so we stayed in the tent eating and drinking. That might have been a mistake because we all nodded off. I woke up at one point, heard the rain pelting down and thought, "I'm not going out in this." Maybe I should have because when I awoke after nodding off again, I discovered it had stopped raining but Gojira had been on stage for 20 minutes! Immediately waking Teal and Joe, we raced like mad back to the arena and to the Dio Stage.

If any band in the history of Bloodstock had paid their dues and earned the right to headline, it was definitely Gojira. I had seen them play second from the top spot in 2010 and just below it in 2016 and both times they were better than the band who went on after them. This time, they were simply better than ever! Being the headliner, they had a really cool light show, just as good as Judas Priest's light show the night before. I definitely remember them playing "Stranded" and Joe Duplantier was very good at engaging the crowd. Plus there was a cool drum solo from Mario. Overall, Gojira put on a great display of heavy metal and proved they can headline along with the best of them.

[caption id="attachment_4786" align="aligncenter" width="265"] Managed to get a good shot of Gojira here.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4787" align="aligncenter" width="282"] Another attempt at photographing them.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4788" align="aligncenter" width="271"] Different lights made this shot possible[/caption][caption id="attachment_4789" align="aligncenter" width="275"] Bright lights[/caption][caption id="attachment_4790" align="aligncenter" width="262"] More bright lights[/caption]

Having had that nap, I wasn't tired so I headed to the Sophie Lancaster Stage to check out that headliner, Orphaned Land. This turned out to be another great decision because Orphaned Land where nothing short of absolutely brilliant! They blend folk and death metal together to make one great but unique sound. Coming from Israel, they also blend Middle Eastern and Western influences and again, it sounds just great. I loved the use of the Bouzouki in place of guitar solos in some of the songs. Plus they do go ultra heavy at times. Before, they got on stage, the announcer told the crowd to listen to the message of this band. Lead singer, Kobi Farhi, explained how fucked up things in the Middle East are with everyone trying to kill each other be it Jews, Arabs or homosexuals. However, he stated that everybody hates heavy metal because it's considered Satanic. This got me thinking but I won't talk about that now, I just want to say how great a band Orphaned Land are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hurWzo01FpM

[caption id="attachment_4791" align="aligncenter" width="253"] Orphaned Land come out under the lights.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4792" align="aligncenter" width="245"] A great shot of them.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4793" align="aligncenter" width="238"] A great show![/caption]

Still not tired, I went to the metal disco at the Sophie tent after the show. They played a good variety of songs which included some 1970s rock and even a Michael Jackson and a Coolio song. Eventually, I went back to the tent and had one last beer before bedtime. Sometime later, Teal came in and woke me up, I had fallen asleep in the chair with the beer in my hand. At least I didn't spill any. Still it was a great second day.

Next post: Sunday

Bloodstock 2018: The Friday

Even having a crap night's sleep the previous evening didn't dent my enthusiasm for the first full day at Bloodstock. We started with a hardy bbq breakfast because we couldn't have one the evening before on account of the waiting to get in and the brief rain. Therefore, we had it in the morning. After a breakfast of champions like that, which was washed down with beer, we decided to head for the arena.

Keeping with my established tradition, I made it a point to be present for the very first band out on the Ronnie James Dio Stage. That band happened be British punk band Feed The Rhino. If there is a textbook on how the opening band of a festival should act, then Feed The Rhino followed it to the letter. They exploded on stage at 300 mph with a song that grabs you by the throat and makes you listen to it nor did any of that energy dissipate after the first song. However, some purists may argue that the band broke protocol by organizing a mosh pit and then a wall of death. Whoever said opening bands weren't allowed to do that? Especially when the lead singer, Lee Tobin, did a little crowd surf towards the wall. It was amazing and when they left, which was too soon, Feed The Rhino had set the mood not just for the day but for the entire weekend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dT-YnBV4nU&index=2&list=RDEM9zce9KOR3-_CiSSMoO1KPg

[caption id="attachment_4729" align="aligncenter" width="265"] Feed The Rhino welcome everybody to Bloodstock[/caption][caption id="attachment_4730" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Lee Tobin carried by the crowd[/caption]

In spite of the fact that I had seen and heard three bands I had never heard of previously who totally blew me away, I still went to the New Blood Stage to seek out more. Playing at my arrival was the band Garshkott. While they weren't bad, their sound was in the vein of Feed The Rhino and Bloodshot Dawn, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were ever signed, in my mind, they didn't measure up to the two bands I have just mentioned. Then again, those two bands set the bar astronomically high.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKV8NZ3QSpQ

[caption id="attachment_4731" align="aligncenter" width="238"] Garshkott giving it their all[/caption]

Heading back to the RJD Stage, I thought I should see Onslaught. I had seen them at my first Bloodstock in 2010 but I didn't remember anything about them. Seeing them again, I remember why I didn't remember them, there's really nothing about them to remember. While their music was okay and I have since discovered from Youtube that their recorded material sounds pretty good, they just didn't do anything for me when I've seen them live.

[caption id="attachment_4732" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Onslaught coming out to play[/caption][caption id="attachment_4733" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Another shot of them[/caption]

The uneventfulness of Onslaught meant that when the rains came down in the final minutes of their set, I fled for cover. The closest was the New Blood Stage. Providing the entertainment in my new found refuge was Democratus. They weren't thrash but good solid metal. The singer did a great job in getting those in the tent to sing along. He would sing out, "Is this what you call?" and the audience, me included, would shout back, "Democracy!" Very relevant at the moment and I thought they were pretty good. If I was a scout, I would have signed them before the previous unsigned band on the day.

[caption id="attachment_4734" align="aligncenter" width="247"] Democratus[/caption]

Still raining down in buckets outside, I decided to stay in the New Blood Tent to remain dry. It turned out to be the will of the metal gods because coming on stage next was Vulgore. Of the three unsigned bands I had seen so far, these guys were the best. Their music was loud and brash but the guitarist could shred a little too. Still, their music is not for the faint hearted. They announced they have an EP coming out titled "Bliss." I might have to hunt this one down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGTHW549EZ0

[caption id="attachment_4735" align="aligncenter" width="256"] The guitarist from Vulgore[/caption][caption id="attachment_4736" align="aligncenter" width="246"] More Vulgore[/caption]

Vulgore made the rain stop, so after their departure, I headed outside. On the Dio Stage at the time was Memoriam. I only caught the last two songs from their set but they sounded all right. Plus, I noticed that the lead singer's hair probably made many ladies jealous.

[caption id="attachment_4737" align="aligncenter" width="246"] Memoriam, but this photo doesn't show the singer's hair properly.[/caption]

Still looking for the music, I headed for the Sophie Lancaster Stage where I was treated to the doom metal sounds of Godthrymm. This trio was doom metal in the true sense of the word, even more than Black Sabbath. Most of the songs were about death. I remember one lyric, "Oh God, you lost your only son," I think that explains a lot. Guitarist hammered out some good solos and he shared the lead vocal duties with the bassist. Godthrymm proved a great change of pace on the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0qI91eXCss&start_radio=1&list=RDEMlvu4ZewIMcT_N6Cov2SHQQ

[caption id="attachment_4738" align="aligncenter" width="248"] Godthrymm playing doom[/caption][caption id="attachment_4739" align="aligncenter" width="246"] I'm not sure what this picture was. I think it was this person dressed up going through the crowd during Godthrymm[/caption]

After a brief but necessary break, I returned to the Ronnie James Dio Stage for the first band I truly wanted to see. Before that band came out, I caught the last few minutes of Swedish death metal band Bloodbath. They sounded okay and I was amused at the shirtless guitar player whose torso was covered in fake blood.

[caption id="attachment_4755" align="aligncenter" width="277"] Bloodbath, not sure if you can see the guitarist covered in blood[/caption]

Then came the big bombshell. It was announced that Suicidal Tendencies were running late and wouldn't be up next. They were re-scheduled to play at the Sophie Lancaster Stage two hours later. I had caught up with Teal and Joe and we decided to get some dinner. I kind of regret this in hindsight because swapping places with ST was the all female death metal Japanese band Love Bites. I heard they were really good and I'm liking what I'm hearing thus far. Oh well, I'll put a song of theirs in tribute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq-JZ6deYwM
Returning from our late afternoon bbq, I followed Teal's suggestion that I go with him to check out prog metal band, Kamelot. Full marks to his wisdom here because I thoroughly enjoyed them. I was duly impressed with the guitar work of Thomas Youngblood but I won't take anything away from the rest of this band, they're that good. They brought a female singer on for a few songs as well which made them more diverse. Let's say I was very impressed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDLZ6Mqy7AM&index=2&list=RDEMhvza10-yjYsd2xCr1FSFIw

[caption id="attachment_4740" align="aligncenter" width="279"] Kamelot[/caption][caption id="attachment_4741" align="aligncenter" width="274"] A better shot of them[/caption][caption id="attachment_4742" align="aligncenter" width="285"] Thomas Youngblood jamming[/caption][caption id="attachment_4743" align="aligncenter" width="270"] I tried to get the female singer in this one[/caption]

Instead of Kamelot following Suicidal Tendencies, we had Suicidal Tendencies following Kamelot. Which way around didn't matter as we joined the throng heading for the Sophie Lancaster Stage. There was talk that the sheer weight of numbers in ST fans would knock the Sophie Tent off its foundations. Suicidal Tendencies exploded onto the stage with "Don't Bring Me Down." Almost immediately, Mike Muir had the crowd in his hand with everyone singing the chorus. The band darted around stage and Mike did his little dance. It seemed that the opening song might go for the entire set because every time it sounded like it would end, the band would pick it up again. When the song did end, the audience was screaming their appreciation. Afterwards, they played songs "I Shot the Devil," The War in My Head" and "Subliminal." When they played the "Skater's Song," Mike announced that the band had been inducted into the Skater's Hall of Fame. A young boy was brought up to play drums along side of Dave Lombardo for one song and they also let a man in a wheelchair onto the stage. ST are definitely a class act! In between songs, Mike talked about not letting things get you down. His advice was to "Get up, stand up for yourself and you will be the person you want to be." Great words of wisdom. When they left, the crowd was on a major high and it was also announced that it had been the largest crowd the Sophie Lancaster Stage ever had. They were phenomenal and like Teal converting me to Kamelot, I converted him to ST. It didn't even matter that they didn't play my two favourite songs again nor the fact that they pretty much played the same set they had at Download last year.

[caption id="attachment_4744" align="aligncenter" width="250"] The crowd heading to the Sophie Stage to see Suicidal Tendencies[/caption][caption id="attachment_4745" align="aligncenter" width="265"] ST comes on stage[/caption][caption id="attachment_4746" align="aligncenter" width="267"] Guitarist Dean Pleasants can still jam.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4747" align="aligncenter" width="268"] Another shot of Dean[/caption][caption id="attachment_4748" align="aligncenter" width="262"] Mike leading the charge[/caption]

After feeding my face some more, we all headed back to the Ronnie James Dio Stage for the main even, Judas Priest. They had a massive stage set up with what looked like cacti which lit up on the wall behind. When the band came out, Rob Halford looked like a bent over old man but he quickly straightened up when they started playing. They opened with "Fire Power" and played two more songs from the album. It was the fourth song that was the big thrill for me when they revealed their all time hidden gem, "The Ripper." I think I was the only one in the crowd who went absolutely nuts at it. Both Teal and some young lady in front of me both stated, "You're excited about this song." Next, they revealed that it was the 40th anniversary of their "Stained Glass" album where they played "Saints in Hell" as a tribute. Other Priest greats included "Turbo Lover" and "Freewheel Burning." While Rob was the great show man he has always been for more than four decades, I was impressed with guitarists Richie Faulkner. He seems to have learned from his mentors and if the band was to continue, he is more than capable to carry them on. Scott Travis was pretty cool too and I loved how he and Richie traded solos. Things seemed to end with an extended version of "You Got Another Thing Comin'" and "Painkiller," both drawing large cheers from the crowd. But Judas Priest weren't done. Obviously, there would be an encore and that's when they sprung a surprise. Glenn Tipton came out to play with them for the four encore songs. He did look a little frail and Rob kept coming over to him but he stayed the course. He even played a solo on the closing song, "Living After Midnight" which followed on from "Breaking the Law." When the mighty Priest did leave, it was to much adulation and a brief but cool fireworks display.

[caption id="attachment_4749" align="aligncenter" width="245"] Blasted light show kept me from getting decent pictures of Priest[/caption][caption id="attachment_4750" align="aligncenter" width="225"] See again![/caption][caption id="attachment_4751" align="aligncenter" width="282"] A little better[/caption][caption id="attachment_4752" align="aligncenter" width="269"] Even taking a photo of the big screen didn't work.[/caption][caption id="attachment_4753" align="aligncenter" width="270"] I kept trying though[/caption]

Teal and Joe called it a night but I had one more act to watch. As soon as Judas Priest was finished, I high tailed it over to the Sophie Lancaster Stage to catch Doro. My timing was perfect because as I entered the tent, she was performing one of my favourites, "I Rule the Ruins." That wasn't the only one she treated me to, a few songs later, I got to hear "East Meets West," where she brought out a former guitarist Tommy Bowen. Therefore, for the rest of her show, she had a three guitar attack behind her. Sounded real good when she played "Burning the Witches." Doro engaged the audience really well throughout and while her light show was nothing like Priest, it was still pretty cool. "All We Are" got the crowd really going and it carried on until she left the stage. When she came back out, Doro asked the audience what song they would like. I was too far away so she couldn't hear me calling out for "I'll Make It On My Own," so she said, since nobody came forth with a song, she'd pick one, which she did. A second song was asked for and she picked one from a young lady in the front and that's how the night ended, with loads of bows and "thank yous" before leaving. It was a great way to end the first day!

[caption id="attachment_4760" align="aligncenter" width="287"] Doro on the Sophie Stage[/caption][caption id="attachment_4761" align="aligncenter" width="278"] Better pics with Doro[/caption][caption id="attachment_4762" align="aligncenter" width="280"] Tommy Bowen on guitar[/caption][caption id="attachment_4763" align="aligncenter" width="268"] Doro mesmerizes the crowd[/caption]

Note: You may have noticed that I haven't posted songs from every band I saw. I thought to do it with the ones I had never heard of before and now you have.

Next post: Saturday

To download Rock and Roll Children, go to: http://mediahubb.net/14510967/rock-and-roll-children.html

Bloodstock 2018: The Thursday

Thursday August 9, 2018 and I'm off to Bloodstock with my stepson Teal and his friend Joe. The ride up their went very smooth, especially when you have Axl Rudi Pell and Ozzy providing the in flight entertainment. However, as I got closer to the festival ground, I began looking for the huge yellow sign that had been there for my past trips to Bloodstock, it wasn't there. I only noticed it when we got to the junction of the A38 and that meant I went too far. So, I turned around and fortunately, there were signs a plenty in the opposite direction. So we arrived at the festival.

Second hitch, actually two here: the first was when I grabbed the bag of canned foods, I could not find my little stove with heat tabs pack. The second was after we loaded all of our stuff onto our little wagon, we discovered it had a dodgy wheel. That made the walk to the main gate a bit more fraught. We did get there with little problem but then we had to wait two hours before we finally got up to the gate. This was because it was the largest Bloodstock crowd ever and searches were supposed to be more thorough. At least mine was because the security thoroughly searched my bag and then asked about cooking when I saw the cans. His logic was that I wasn't going to eat my food cold. I told him about the heat tabs and he let me through after that. Meanwhile, Teal and Joe, despite having most of the kit on the wagon was waved through without fuss. Figures I get the anal security guard.

Our adventure wasn't over, before we got to our chosen campsite, the second front wheel on the wagon fell off making it useless. Joe and I took some stuff and went to find a spot to pitch the tent while Teal guarded the rest. We found a spot, which I stayed with the stuff to stake my claim while Joe went back to get Teal and the rest of our stuff. When they got to me, it was decided the space I had chosen wasn't big enough for our tent, so I went on another scouting mission. It took three minutes for me to find a nice large spot and we collected all the stuff and set up camp.

Having been in the military, I can pitch a two-person tent with ease. A six person tent is a different story, especially with only three people. Fortunately, a kind lady named Emma lent a hand and we got the tent up in no time. She had been going to all the festivals since 2003 and was a dob hand at putting up tents. We thanked her with a couple of cans of cider. The irony is that we never saw her for the rest of the weekend so I can only conclude that Emma was an angel sent by the heavy metal gods in our time of need.

Once settled, I discovered that I had forgotten a load of stuff. Paper plates, plastic cutlery, a tin opener  and I did leave the little stove at home. That meant I had to buy that stuff and with festival prices, that was one expense I didn't need. Plus on top of that, we missed Fire Red Empress who played the Sophie Lancaster Stage early that evening. Still, even with the bad start, we were determined it wasn't going to spoil the weekend.

[caption id="attachment_4717" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A place to get your air mattresses inflated. I didn't have one.[/caption]

Camp having been set up, I went looking for the metal. I found it in the Sophie Lancaster Stage in the form of Bloodshot Dawn. For me, this was a great way to start things, a loud aggressive thrash metal band with a great rhythm section and a lead guitarist who could really shred. The lead singer had a voice suited for thrash although not quite suited to the band's more melodic parts in songs but there were very few of those. One song that really stood out was "The Quantum Apocalypse." They had me quickly forgetting about all the little hassles earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQKsxYHUtJU&list=RDEMVbbnVocdUuWADS5iQ4vvgQ&index=11

[caption id="attachment_4718" align="aligncenter" width="225"] My first shot of Bloodshot Dawn[/caption][caption id="attachment_4719" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Bloodshot Dawn under the lights[/caption]

Some would call this a contrast but following Bloodshot Dawn was the Russian folk-metal band, Arkona. They were very theatrical in their approach and lead singer Maria 'Masha Scream' Arkhipova has a voice that can do it all. Her voice carries very beautifully in the more folk parts but when the band thrashes out more, it is as good as any male thrash metal vocalist. Further proof, not that it's needed, that heavy metal sounds great in whatever language it's sung in. Saying that, Arkova had one more unique attraction in the form of Vladimir 'Volk' Reshetnikov who plays the flute and bagpipes. I've never seen anyone who could shred those instruments but he certainly can. They deserved their headlining slot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgXlUxDGFvU

[caption id="attachment_4720" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Maria under the lights[/caption][caption id="attachment_4721" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Arkova is there somewhere[/caption][caption id="attachment_4723" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Vlad on the flute[/caption]

Full of adrenaline from both Bloodshot Dawn and Arkova, I decided to head to the Lemmy Bar and have a lemmy. They only raised the price by £1 from two years ago but full marks to the bar staff. It was the best JD and coke I ever tasted. Upon my return to the campsite, I finally got to witness the Bloodstock sport of bin jousting. I couldn't see much because of the crowd but I got the general gist of it. Unfortunately, security stepped in and stopped it, bloody health and safety again. However, I did hear some Bloodstock veterans saying that bin jousting had become too serious with younger participants really wanting violence so maybe stopping it wasn't such a bad thing. I returned to the camp site ready for a brilliant weekend.

Next post: Friday

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rock-Roll-Children-Michael-Lefevre/dp/1609763556/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1534274553&sr=1-1&keywords=rock+and+roll+children

Great Rock Albums of 1981: The Go Go's- Beauty and the Beat

There were many all girl bands that came and went before 1981. I'm even going to pay tribute to one of them in my between the years post once the tour of 1981 is over. Don't worry, that's still quite a long way away. However, there was something a little different about The Go Go's when I first heard them in 1981. They weren't  heavy rock but they were hard enough in a new wave sort of way that was popular around this time. There was another reason I got into them. I once stated that in the mid 80s, many male metalheads, myself included, listened to Bon Jovi on account of the sole fact that our girl friends did. While, I wasn't dating any particular lady at the time, I noted while at a party one evening that many of the ladies there were getting into them. It could be said that The Go Go's were the first band that both genders could listen to without any worry girls being branded a rock slut and boys being branded a p*ssy.

Back in this time, there were some prehistoric notions that women couldn't play instruments and that all female bands were there more to be looked at than listened to. I never thought that even before I heard this album. Still, this album shows that these girls are capable of playing although I will admit I liked looking at them too. True, the video to their first single "Our Lips Are Sealed" betrays this fact but even though it has been heralded as one of the greats of the 80s, there are some other good rock tunes here as well. Besides, I always preferred the other single, "We Got the Beat" anyway. If I had too much to drink and this song came on, I would start pogo dancing to it. However, the album doesn't end with that song either. For me, "Lust to Love" is a hidden gem of a rocker and after its slow start, "This Town" shapes up pretty well. "Fading Fast" is another decent one as it "How Much More" and "Tonite" isn't bad either. I thought the only track that didn't quite measure up to the others was "Skidmarks On My Heart," not that it was a bad song, I just couldn't get into it. As one good song doesn't make a great album, one song not up with the others, doesn't in any way detract from the rest of the album.

Track Listing:

1. Our Lips Are Sealed

2. How Much More

3. Tonite

4. Lust to Love

5. This Town

6. We Got The Beat

7. Fading Fast

8. Automatic

9. You Can't Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)

10. Skidmarks On My Heart

11. Can't Stop the World

[caption id="attachment_2299" align="aligncenter" width="278"] The Go Go's[/caption]

Belinda Carlisle- lead vocals

Charlotte Caffey- lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Jane Wiedlin- rhythm guitar, vocals

Kathy Valentine- bass, backing vocals

Gina Schock- drums, percussion

Back on the subject of musicianship, I have always thought that Charlotte Caffey doesn't get the respect she deserved then or now. I'm not saying she's a Clapton or a Van Halen etc but she does play well enough to be respected. Listen to the album and judge for yourself as this is definitely one album from an all girl band that should be taken seriously. Did they open the way for others? Well, we can answer that as we journey through history.
Next post: Another band that should be taken seriously.

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Rolling Stones- Tattoo You

Once again, the more astute among you may or may not have noticed that through my tours of both 1978 and 1980, I didn't visit the two albums released by the Rolling Stones in those years. To many, this might sound very strange because the Rolling Stones have been one of the stalwarts of rock for over half a century now. Throughout the 1960s and 7os they put out a huge number of songs and albums that will continue to live on throughout rock history. There are even some songs that would sound great metalised. So why didn't I visit the 1978 "Some Girls" album and the 1980 "Emotional Rescue?" For me, the answer is quite simple. I thought both of those albums were too disco for my liking. The 1981 album "Tattoo You," in my humble opinion took them back to their roots. The album sounded like the Stones of old and they finally remembered what had made them so great.

"Tattoo You" is a two part album in a sense. The first six songs are all cool rockers, the first of which is the big single "Start Me Up." When I first heard that song on the radio, I was convinced that the Rolling Stones had come back. Normally, I get concerned when the single opens an album because that's usually the ploy of one hit wonders but I have to say, it works well for "Tattoo You." That song is a good one to wake you up on a Wednesday morning. (Note: War Pigs by Black Sabbath is reserved for Monday mornings.) If you think that you can take a breath after "Start Me Up," you can't because "Hang Fire," the second track has the same effect. The next four songs all have the same effect and I love the hard blues rock sound of "Black Limousine." I don't know if it's Ronnie Wood or Keith Richards who play the solo on that song, but it is well done.

The remainder of the album goes into a more bluesier sound although not as hard as "Black Limousine." "Worried About You," "Tops" and "Heaven" are all in this vein  as is "No Use In Crying." These songs wind the album down to the more mellow closer "Waiting on a Friend" which seems to close the album out very well. I remember hearing that song blasting out of cafe juke boxes when I was in Toulon, France in May of 1982. What the album does accomplish for me is the fact that it's a massive improvement from the previous two.

Track Listing:

1. Start Me Up

2. Hang Fire

3. Slave

4. Little T & A

5. Black Limousine

6. Neighbours

7. Worried About You

8. Tops

9. Heaven

10. No Use in Crying

11. Waiting On a Friend

[caption id="attachment_2295" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Rolling Stones[/caption]

Mick Jagger- vocals

Keith Richards- guitar

Ronnie Wood- guitars

Bill Wyman- bass, synthesiser on "Heaven"

Charlie Watts- drums

After doing a little historical research, I was surprised to discover that the bulk of this album was out takes and previously unreleased material. Whatever the case, it worked and re-established the Rolling Stones as a serious force in rock.
Next post: The Go-Go's- Beauty and the Beat

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Frank Zappa- You Are What You Is

It was little secret that Frank Zappa was capable of putting out several albums in a year. Earlier in 1981, he had put out "Tinseltown Rebellion" and then a series of albums called "Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar." Then later in the year he put out this album "You Are What You Is," which is probably his best known album for this year. Like with many of Zappa's albums, the songs are all bound together but not in the way like "Joe's Garage" as there is no visible story line in the songs.

As expected with any great Zappa album, there is that perfect blend of humour and fantastic musicianship. The album begins with "Teenage Wind" which is a parody about teenage hang ups and right on the heels of that is "Harder Than Your Husband." This song, with it's country music sound is definitely a good hoot. The first song that real portrays the quality musicianship of Frank and his band is "Doreen." While stalwart Ray White proves his underrated vocal ability Zappa backs him up with some great guitar work. I've always thought that his guitar talents have gone unnoticed. But it's not just Frank smoking the fingerboard on this album. Accompanying him is some guitar player known as Steve Vai. You might have heard of him.

The title track was also the first video he ever made and like sometimes with his music, it landed him in some trouble. I guess the portrayal of then president Ronald Regan as the president from hell might have had something to do with it. I just wonder why some people are so devoid of a sense of humour. Following the track "Mudd Club" are two tracks that I really like. "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" and "Dumb All Over" are both mega swipes at religion and both songs are done with that tongue in cheek Zappa sense of humour. The remainder of the album continues with funny songs until the closer "Drafted Again" which is remake of a song from the early days "I Don't Want to Get Drafted."

Track Listing:

1. Teenage Wind

2. Harder Than Your Husband

3. Doreen

4. Goblin Girl

5. Theme From the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear

6. Society Pages

7. I'm a Beautiful Guy

8. Beauty Knows No Pair

9. Charlie's Enormous Mouth

10. Any Downers

11. Conehead

12. You Are What You Is

13. Mudd Club

14. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing

15. Dumb All Over

16. Heavenly Bank Account

17. Suicide Chump

18. Jumbo Go Away

19. If Only She Woulda

20. Drafted Again

[caption id="attachment_915" align="aligncenter" width="128"] Frank Zappa[/caption]

Frank Zappa- vocals, guitar, composer

Arthur Barrow- bass

Jimmy Carl Black- vocals

Bobby Harris- trumpet

David Longeman- drums

Ed Mann- -percussion

Tommy Mars- keyboards, vocals

David Ocker- clarinet

Mark Pinske- vocals

Motorhead Sherwood- tenor sax, vocals

Craig Twister Stewart- harmonica

Steve Vai- guitars

Ray White- rhythm guitar, vocals

Ike Willis- rhythm guitar, vocals

Ahmet Zappa- vocals

Dweezil Zappa- vocals

Moon Zappa- vocals

With so many albums under his belt, it was very hard to keep track of everything Frank Zappa produced. Fortunately, for me, "You Are What You Is" wasn't one of them. This is a very good Zappa album in the tradition of Frank Zappa. Definitely his best in 1981.

Next post: Rolling Stones- Tattoo You

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London